Are you totally at home in the woods?

[Rank Bull]

Double post woops

[S.C. Hunter]

I am comfortable day or night in areas that I know well. I spent a lot of time coon hunting when I lived in South Carolina and night fishing for catfish in the swamps and rivers.

 I also had a lot of field time at night in the Corps.

[Rank Bull]

Yeah I saw a video of a mountain lion full on tackle a full grown elk like it was nothing. Kinda wish I never saw that. Lol

I've also come close to stepping on a rattlesnake. I think I floated all the way home. Those suckers are LOUD.

[Zmonster]

I love the woods at night. It brings out a different and beautiful sound we don't during the day. Plus, Id feel more comfortable getting taken out by a four legged critter, than the two legged variety up to no good. When its my time, its my time. That way of thinking has confidently gotten me though a lot bigger scenarios.

Like John Wayne said “Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway”

[Mike Vines]

I have absolutely no problem at all being in the woods of Michigan in the night at all.  Now visiting Detroit, day or night, that's a whole different story.

[joe ashton]

I can spend days on end in the woods and love it.  I get totally freaked outed in the city at night.  Give lions and bears any day.....

[pronghorn23]

I don't mind it. For years it seems my eyes would play tricks on me and at dusk I'd think I'd see something. Then I'd think "nothings that quiet" until I remember the Schwarzenegger predator movie where they're in the jungle. Hmmm..they didn't believe it either  

Couple weeks ago I was skirting a marsh in the afternoon heading for a stand. A coyote I called "Big Red" saw me and was heading out of the marsh about 75 yards away (I called him Big Red, because he had a reddish coat and looked like a German Shephard).

Well he trots out of the marsh and into the grassy field, still about 75 yards away. He didn't seem too bothered. He stopped, stood and let out a huge howl, deeper than other coyotes.
A couple responded from the woods. This was about 3pm before we changed the clocks.  I thought either that was a warning sign for the others or he's ringing the dinner bell. After that he trotted off non-chalantly.

This was in a suburban area and with the increase in coyote incidents with pets and their increasing lack of fear of man got me wondering if maybe I'd be the first attack in the area. Makes you think.

[lpcjon2]

I love the woods, I'm so at home I belch ,fart,sleep,and use the restroom in the woods.          

 I'm at home during daylight and at night(as long as I have a hunting buddy),alone at night it can get a little spooky depending on how long the walk is. Its like I tell my day when we fish in the ocean at night,"there are things out at night that just aren't out in the day and if I don't have to meet them I'm good!!".

[BCWV]

quote:
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Originally posted by CA BOWHUNTER:
Yes I feel more home in the woods in day light or dark, I Love the woods I have more trouble in the city than I do in the woods.
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 Yep, I'm with you guys. I'm more uneasy around cities and strange people than the in woods at day or night.

[Bonebuster]

For the most part, I`m just fine. There have been a few times in years past when I was creeped out and I just felt on alert. No explanation why, I just felt SOMETHING.

It is then that you watch your backtrail a bit more, and your heart is already above it`s normal rythum, and you are ready for a fight.

Listen to your sixth sense.

[yekrut]

I agree with ca bowhunter, I love the woods!

[Toklat1]

BEWARE the Chupacabra at night!  

[mcgroundstalker]

Hey Mark! Think you are watching too much T.V.!

... mike ...  :D  ...

[greyghost]

Night and day time have always been my friend. Although I am aware of the night critters I am still at peace.

[GingivitisKahn]

I'm at home in the woods around here (Central Ohio).  Nothing too scary around here other than (perhaps) other people.

At the risk of a slight thread derailment - what's up with the coyote thing?  Why do they make you nervous? We've got some big ones around here, but I'm higher on the food chain than those friggers.  What gives?

[bad arrow]

I love the woods obviously and feel I could survive in a lost situation. I pretty much know the edible plants and can identify most (if not all)the trees in my area and can set snares(if I lost my bow), fish, etc.  But to be honest I have a terrible sense of direction and have been lost so many times, but luckily only for a few hours at most. Forget being out there at night, thats when I really get turned around!.... Phil

[Andy Cooper]

Originally posted by Rank Bull:
Oh man when the coyotes get to yipping out of control, it can make the hair stand up. Makes me wonder what wolves would sound like.

Coyotes are cowards, but I absolutely love to hear them, especially when a chase starts. They scare me not at all. A small pack lives less than a quarter mile from my back door but it's too settled around for the .22-250 to take care of business.

Wolves, OTOH, give me the creeps, even though I've only heard them in the wild once. I had a 30-06 with me, and they still gave me the creeps. I don't like being out after dark in cougar and bear country. I was followed by a cougar one night on my way back to camp. I thought something was there, but it was dark and I didn't want to stop to get a light out of my pack. I found its tracks in the mud the next day, and I'd been followed nearly half a mile. Was it stalking me? Who knows, but I've never walked that trail again, even in the daytime, without watching extra carefully!

I still hunt that area alone, though...just am not as relaxed at night as in the daylight.

[Autumnarcher]

I love being in the woods, day or night. I've done some remote solo camp/hunt trips. I love sittin by the campfire, or layin in my sleeping bag at night listening to some of the strange sounds you here in the woods and trying to figure out what animal is makin it. Coons fighting, owls, birds, elk, etc.

I wont say I havent had an unnerving time or two, usually when you heard a sound you havent heard before. Now here in Mich,aside from bears, there really isnt much out there to worry about.
At least where I hunt. No poisonous slithering snakes to worry about either.

Ive walked a good long ways through the Colorado mountains with 80 lbs of fresh bloody elk meat strapped to my backin the dark. Plenty of bears in that area too. I keep aware of my surroundings, but I dont worry too much. If something happens, its gonna happen. But 99% of the stuff we waste time worryin about never happens anyway. As for the other 1%, well nothing much we're gonna do about it. And its sure not gonna keep me out of the woods.

Confidence in your skills and equipment you carry goes a long way to keeping you relaxed and at home in any environment you may find yourself in. If God decides my exit is at the hands of Mother Nature, well thats just the way it goes.
Aint none of us gettin outta here alive anyway!

[Toklat1]

I couldn't resist Mike!  
  I love being in the woods even at night. It doesn't bother me much here in the Lower 48 but when I lived in Alaska, We would sleep in small Mt. Tents and knowing there were Bears around made me a bit uneasy.  I had acouple of friends have their tent colllapsed in  on them in the middle of the night by an 8' Interior Grizz!  

[Rank Bull]

Originally posted by GingivitisKahn:
I'm at home in the woods around here (Central Ohio).  Nothing too scary around here other than (perhaps) other people.

At the risk of a slight thread derailment - what's up with the coyote thing?  Why do they make you nervous? We've got some big ones around here, but I'm higher on the food chain than those friggers.  What gives?

I can't say I am really scared of them but when a bunch of them really get going vocalizing, it's  like out of control and frantic. Just kind of chilling...and at the same time really cool.